Site Inventory Form State Inventory No. 29-01092 New Supplemental State Historical Society of Iowa Part of a district with known boundaries (enter inventory no.) 26-03685 (November 2005) Relationship: Contributing Noncontributing Contributes to a potential district with yet unknown boundaries National Register Status:(any that apply) Listed De-listed NHL DOE 9-Digit SHPO Review & Compliance (R&C) Number Non-Extant (enter year)
1. Name of Property historic name Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block other names/site number F.W. Woolworth Company, Downtown Survey Map # DT-65
2. Location street & number 312-314 Jefferson city or town Burlington vicinity, county Des Moines
Legal Description: (If Rural) Township Name Township No. Range No. Section Quarter of Quarter
(If Urban) Subdivision Original City Block(s) Lot(s) 445 E 2/3 of E ½, Lot 444 W 19 3/1239”3” S 10’; N 4’ S 50’6” E ½ E 20’ S 10’ N 36’ & S 46’ E 1/2 3. State/Federal Agency Certification [Skip this Section] 4. National Park Service Certification [Skip this Section] 5. Classification Category of Property (Check only one box) Number of Resources within Property building(s) If Non-Eligible Property If Eligible Property, enter number of: district Enter number of: Contributing Noncontributing site buildings 1 buildings structure sites sites object structures structures objects objects Total 1 Total
Name of related project report or multiple property study (Enter “N/A” if the property is not part of a multiple property examination). Title Historical Architectural Data Base Number Intensive Level Historical and Architectural Survey of “East” Downtown Burlington, IA 29-034 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions)
02A01 office 02G01 café (314)
02F04 department store 02E specialty store (312)
02E specialty store
7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) Materials (Enter categories from instructions)
09F05: Commercial / brick front foundation not visible
05B Italianate walls (visible material) 03 brick
roof not visible
other Narrative Description ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED) 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark “x” representing your opinion of eligibility after applying relevant National Register criteria) Yes No More Research Recommended A Property is associated with significant events. Yes No More Research Recommended B Property is associated with the lives of significant persons. Yes No More Research Recommended C Property has distinctive architectural characteristics. Yes No More Research Recommended D Property yields significant information in archaeology or history. County Des Moines Address 312-314 Jefferson Site Number 29-01092 City Burlington District Number 29-03685
Criteria Considerations A Owned by a religious institution or used E A reconstructed building, object, or structure. for religious purposes. F A commemorative property. B Removed from its original location. G Less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past C A birthplace or grave. 50 years. D A cemetery
Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) Significant Dates Construction date 05: Commerce 1867 check if circa or estimated date Other dates, including renovation 02: Architecture 1933
Significant Person Architect/Builder (Complete if National Register Criterion B is marked above) Architect
Builder
Narrative Statement of Significance ( SEE CONTINUATION SHEETS, WHICH MUST BE COMPLETED) 9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography See continuation sheet for citations of the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form 10. Geographic Data UTM References (OPTIONAL) Zone Easting Northing Zone Easting Northing 1 2 3 4
See continuation sheet for additional UTM references or comments 11. Form Prepared By name/title Steve Frevert, chair (research by Barb Mackey) Rebecca L. McCarley, consultant, Davenport organization Burlington Historic Preservation Commission date January 23, 2013 street & number City Hall, 400 Washington Street telephone 319-753-8158 city or town Burlington state Iowa zip code 52601
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION (Submit the following items with the completed form) FOR ALL PROPERTIES 1. Map: showing the property’s location in a town/city or township. 2. Site plan: showing position of buildings and structures on the site in relation to public road(s). 3. Photographs: representative black and white photos. If the photos are taken as part of a survey for which the Society is to be curator of the negatives or color slides, a photo/catalog sheet needs to be included with the negatives/slides and the following needs to be provided below on this particular inventory site: Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken Roll/slide sheet # Frame/slot # Date Taken See continuation sheet or attached photo & slide catalog sheet for list of photo roll or slide entries. Photos/illustrations without negatives are also in this site inventory file. FOR CERTAIN KINDS OF PROPERTIES, INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING AS WELL 1. Farmstead & District: (List of structures and buildings, known or estimated year built, and contributing or noncontributing status) 2. Barn: a. A sketch of the frame/truss configuration in the form of drawing a typical middle bent of the barn. b. A photograph of the loft showing the frame configuration along one side. c. A sketch floor plan of the interior space arrangements along with the barn’s exterior dimensions in feet. State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) Use Only Below This Line Concur with above survey opinion on National Register eligibility: Yes No More Research Recommended This is a locally designated property or part of a locally designated district.
Comments:
Evaluated by (name/title): Date: Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
7. Narrative Description
This is a three-story brick commercial building with two storefront spaces that faces Jefferson to the south. It is approximately the remaining east third of the Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block, which occupied this entire half block of the north side of Jefferson with a total of six storefront spaces. The west four sections were demolished for the Kresge building in 1933, leaving these two east sections. The foundation is stone. Both storefronts have been remodeled a number of times. They have aluminum framed windows, recessed, single door entries, and signage above. 312 has a pair of fixed canvas awnings above each display window, while 314 has a roll up canvas awning. A single door to the upper floors is located in between the two storefronts. There are seven identical windows across the second and third floor stories; all are covered with sheet metal. They are full arch openings with arch hoods with keystones and shoulder blocks. Each window bay is separated by a brick pilaster that rises from the top of the storefronts to the cornice. There are projecting courses of brickwork between the second and third stories, as well as a simple brick cornice on the south and east walls. The decorative, bracketed cornice appears to have been removed around 1933 when the west section of the building was demolished, likely in an effort to update and modernize the remaining section for F.W. Woolworth Company. The roofline is straight, and the roof slopes slightly back to the north. The front brick façade has been painted in the past and is faded/peeling. The three west bays are a tan color, while the four east bays are blue. The exposed brickwork on the west wall of the third story has been parged with concrete. The east brick wall extends along the alley, and it has several covered segmental arch windows. An addition, Linder’s Hall, built onto the rear of the building has been removed, and the rear wall of the east half (312) has been rebuilt with concrete block. An older brick wall remains on the west (314) half), with a small concrete block shed-roof addition on the first story. The segmental arch windows on the upper stories are also covered.
8. Narrative Statement of Significance
The Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block appears to contribute historically and architecturally to a potential Downtown Commercial Historic District. The construction in 1867 makes it one of the oldest buildings in the historic district, and it retains several characteristic features of this period and the Italianate style, including the arch windows with hoods and pilasters dividing the bays. A number of businesses operated in this section of the block, perhaps most notably the F.W. Woolworth Company from 1912 to 1958. The upper stories were used as physician, dentist, and real estate offices as well as apartments. The building was updated around 1933 with the demolition of the west two-thirds of the block for the new Kresge Building. F.W. Woolworth Company continued to operate here after these modifications, and by the 1940s it was the center building of “dime store row” along this block in Burlington. Thus, its historic significance continues after the 1933 work. With the various changes over time and more recent changes to divide the two storefront spaces again, it does not appear that this building would likely be individually eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, though it represents an interesting example of the evolution of a business block.
The original building at the northeast corner of Jefferson and 4th Street was a large three-story Italianate block with six storefronts. Work began clearing the property early in 1867, after a January fire Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
at the location (Daily Hawk-Eye, February 14, 1867, 4). In March, the newspaper reported that Mr. T. Hedge will erect four business stores, each three-story measuring 20 by 70 (316-318-320-322 Jefferson). Similar buildings would be built at the same time on the east one-third of the lot, between them and the Barret House, by Dr. Ransom and Luke Palmer. “The whole will make a block of six business stores that will be an ornament to the city” (Hawk-Eye, March 21, 1867, 4). The businesses were locating in the new building by the end of the year (Daily Hawk-Eye, December 5, 1867, 4). Thomas Hedge later was associated with a group of businessmen who built a stone-faced block on the southwest corner of Jefferson and 4th Street in 1881 (see Iowa #29-01098). His 1888 biography notes that Thomas Hedge, Sr. was born in Yarmouth, Massachusetts in 1815. He moved to Boston at age 17, and then he moved to Burlington during its early years in 1836. He ran a store for three years and returned to Boston. He married in Yarmouth in 1843, and they returned to Burlington. He ran a general store from 1843 to 1858 when he launched a private bank, Lauman, Hedge & Company. By 1861, he was in the general produce trade. He determined that lumber was likely to be the most profitable business, and he became associated with the Gilbert Brothers. In 1865, the firm of Gilbert, Hedge, & Company was formed, and he was part of this company until his death in 1885. He was involved in organizing the street railway in 1873, and he served on a number of boards and commissions (Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County 1888: 540-541). Luke Palmer was noted as a capitalist and lawyer in the 1879 county history, and he invested in other real estate in this period as well. The Ransom family had several physicians, and this Dr. Ransom was likely the father, Dr. Seth S. Ransom.
Though the Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block was built with six storefronts, only the east two sections at 312 and 314 Jefferson financed by Ransom and Palmer remain intact, with the 1933 Kresge building replacing the west four storefronts (two-thirds) of the building financed by Hedge. Newspaper references to the block from 1867 to the early 1900s mainly consist of ads for the great number of various businesses located there. The six storefronts are numbered from 312 to 322 Jefferson, with ½ numbers for upper floor tenants, both business and residential. It appears that 312 was originally 62 Jefferson and 314 was originally 64 Jefferson. E.M. Sargent and J.L. Brown & Sons are listed at 312 and 314 Jefferson in 1870s references. By 1872, the real estate office of Samuel Mellinger is noted in the Hedge Block, later associated with an upper story space of 312 Jefferson, so the entire six-section block was referenced as the Hedge Block through the 1870s. The “Surprise Store” moved from the Barett House to Hedge Block in 1874, and it was listed at 314 Jefferson in 1879. It was a millinery store, and this space would continue to be occupied by a millinery into the 20th century. The 1884-1885 Iowa State Gazetteer and Business Directory lists a variety of business and professional tenants, including a number of lawyers (Thomas Hedge Jr. among them), doctors, photographer Sylvester Bryan, and bookseller James Love. Photos through the early 1900s show cast iron storefronts for the businesses fronting on Jefferson, but they also show various changes and updates according to the individual businesses.
Per the Sanborn maps and city directories, H. Ranke, dealer in furs and hats, was located at 312 Jefferson by 1886. Michael Kelly, tailor, and R.A. Layton, dressmaker, were located on the upper stories, along with real estate dealer Samuel Mellinger in 1890. Allen & Stracke, dealers in millinery, were located at 314 Jefferson by 1886. By 1892, Rachel A. Layton moved into the 314 storefront, and H. Ranke moved across the street to 315 Jefferson. 312 Jefferson was the variety store run by George M. Hunter, named World’s Fair. In October 1893, William Linder bought the Mellinger property (312), Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
and he constructed an ell to the rear behind the east half of the Hedge Block. This section became known as Linder’s Hall (later demolished). By 1896, W.L. Linder ran his clothing and furnishing goods store at 312 Jefferson, and Woodmen of the World (W.O.W.) and Mystic Circle met in Linder’s Hall. Henry Schneider, a tailor, also continued to operate in an upper story space of 312. Mrs. G. Moard continued the millinery store at 314 Jefferson, with Dr. G. Kinney living and working in an upper story space along with tailor M. Kelley. A newspaper ad on January 28, 1898 notes that the “colored” lodges of Grand Order of Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias were meeting at 314 ½ Jefferson. In 1900, William L. Linder continued his clothing store at 312, with dentists William H. Ockerman and Mrs. C.L. Ockerman on a upper story and Linder’s Hall to the rear. Mrs. G. Moard continued the millinery store at 314 Jefferson, with dressmaker Rachel Sudbrack on an upper story. These listings continued in 1902. In 1906, 312 was noted as vacant, with Dr. H.H. Stevens on an upper story. Mrs. Gertrude Moard continued her millinery store at 314, with dressmaker Rachel Sudbrack on an upper story. The 1910- 11 city directory then lists the “five and dime” store of S.H. Knox & Company at 312 Jefferson, with dentist H.H. Stevens on an upper story. 314 is not listed, with Rachel Sudbrack still at 314 ½ Jefferson.
In 1912, F.W. Woolworth Company opened a branch of their national store at 312-314 Jefferson. They are then listed here in the 1913 city directory, with Dr. G.J. Kinney and Dr. H.H. Stevens on the upper stories of 312. William L. Linder also continues to be listed as residing in an upper story space. By 1920, the local branches of national five and ten cent stores of S.S. Kresge Company (320-322 Jefferson, rebuilt) and F.W. Woolworth Company (312-314 Jefferson) operated in opposite ends of the 1867 Italianate Hedge Block. Dentist Gladson & Hayes were listed at 312 ½ Jefferson in 1916, 1920, and 1924. The 1926 city directory lists 312-314 as F.W. Woolworth Company, 312 ½ as dentist Dr. R.E. Gladson, 316 as Gnahn’s Book Store, 318 as G.H. Neff & Company, 318 ½ as Hedge Block with several offices, and 320-322 as S.S. Kresge Company.
S.S. Kresge Company was among the handful of businesses looking to expand in the early 1930s. They were outgrowing their location in the west two storefronts of the 1867 Hedge Block (Map #66), and they announce expansion plans in January 1932. The project became a new building rather than a remodel, with the west two-thirds of the Hedge Block demolished, leaving F.W. Woolworth Company in the remaining east one-third at 312-314 Jefferson (see State Site #29-01095). The construction displaced the Gnahn book store, located here since 1886, and they moved to the Tama Building (see State Site #29-01088). The newly exposed third story west wall was plastered over (Hawk-Eye, April 11, 1933, p. 5). Photographic evidence shows that the fairly substantial overhanging portion of the Hedge Block cornice was removed at roughly the same time.
F.W. Woolworth Co continued to operate at 312-314 Jefferson until their new building was constructed at 301-311 Jefferson in 1958. The five and dime store was the longest occupant of the building. It was part of “dimestore row” that included Kresge and Neisner Bros. stores in the 300 block of Jefferson. By 1940, the number of “5 cent to $1.00” stores increased to three and remained concentrated on the north side of the 300 block of Jefferson: S.S. Kresge Company (320-322 Jefferson), F.W. Woolworth Company (312-314 Jefferson), and Neisner Bros, Inc. (308-310 Jefferson). “Five and dime” stores continued to line the north side of the 300 block of Jefferson in 1947, with Neisner Bros Inc at 304 Jefferson (Map #64), F.W. Woolworth Company at 312 Jefferson (Map #65), and S.S. Kresge Company at 316 Jefferson. F.W. Woolworth Company had operated for over 40 years in the eastern Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
section of the 1867 Hedge Block at 312-314 Jefferson when they decided to move to a new building across the street at the southeast corner of Jefferson and 3rd Street. This site had been occupied by the Parsons Block (which was then known as the Eisfeld Block), and this large 19th century brick building was struck by fire on February 3, 1952 (“Seventh Costly Business Blaze Here Since 1950,” Hawk-Eye Gazette, August 11, 1952, 8). F.W. Woolworth Company signed a 20-year lease with Cashway Realty Company in February 1957, who then built a modern one-story commercial building on this corner (see State Site #29-01089). From the 1930s to the 1950s, the upper stories appear to have been converted to and primarily used as apartments.
In 1960, the American Dixie Shop, a clothing store, is listed at 312-314 Jefferson in the retail space and 11 apartments are listed upstairs. The commercial space is shown as vacant in 1963 and 1965. A restaurant, King’s Food Host, was at 312 by 1968, while 314 was occupied by Capitol Optical. Both businesses continued in their locations into the 1970s, but there are no upper floor tenants shown after 1965.
In 2012, 312 is occupied by Gypsi, a women’s accessories shop, and 314 is a coffee shop, Digger’s Rest. The upper floors remain vacant.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
9. Major Bibliographical References
Antrobus, A.T. History of Des Moines County Iowa and Its People. Chicago, IL: S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, 1915.
Biographical Review of Des Moines County, Iowa. Chicago: Hobart Publishing Company, 1905.
City Directories, Burlington, Iowa, various dates. On microfiche at the Burlington Public Library
Deed records, per transfer books at Des Moines County Auditor’s Office.
Downtown Partners, Inc., a Division of the Greater Burlington Partnership, Burlington, Iowa. Collection of collected historic photographs of downtown Burlington.
Newspapers, various titles and editions. Particular special editions utilized: Daily Hawk-Eye, 14 February 1867, p. 4 Daily Hawk-Eye, 5 December 1867, p. 4 Burlington Evening Gazette, March 24, 1906 Hawk-Eye, 11 April 1933, p. 5 Daily Hawk-Eye Gazette, September 2, 1938 Burlington Hawk-Eye Gazette, August 4, 1942 Burlington Hawk-Eye, July 10, 1962 Burlington Hawk-Eye, July 4, 1976
Perspective Map of the City of Burlington, IA. Milwaukee, WI: American Publishing Co., 1889.
Portrait and Biographical Album of Des Moines County, Iowa. Chicago: Acme Publishing Company, 1888.
Sanborn Map Company. “Burlington, Iowa,” Fire Insurance Maps. New York: Sanborn Map Company, 1886, 1892, 1900, 1931, 1952.
Smith, Claudia, and Marie Landon. 1976 survey of sites in Burlington. Iowa Site Inventory forms prepared on file at State Historic Preservation Office, Des Moines, IA.
Vertical files. Files on business/industry as well as individual businesses. Burlington Public Library, Burlington, Iowa.
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Location map
Base aerial photography by Aerial Services Inc for Des Moines County GIS Commission, March 2010. Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Building plan (from assessor’s website)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Historic images
Full six-storefront block in early 1900s (Downtown Partners collection)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Remaining portions of block at 312-314 after construction of S.S. Kresge Building in 1933 (Downtown Partners collection).
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Series of dime stores on north side of 300 block of Jefferson in early 1950s (Downtown Partners collection)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Buildings on north side of 300 block of Jefferson in late 1950s (Downtown Partners collection)
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Digital photographs
Photograph 29-01092-001 – South elevation, looking northwest (McCarley, June 20, 2012). Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs State Historical Society of Iowa Site Number 29-01092 Iowa Site Inventory Form Related District Number Continuation Sheet
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Hedge-Ransom-Palmer Block Des Moines Name of Property County
312-314 Jefferson Burlington Address City
Photograph 29-01092-002 – North elevation, looking southwest (McCarley, November 15, 2012).